The invention relates to container securement devices, and more particularly, to improvements in cargo container securement devices of the type that provide automatic securement and release of a cargo container.
The shipping of lading and so-called cargo containers has become widely used due to advantages such as labor-saving resulting from decreased manual cargo handling. Cargo containers may be shipped from one geographical location to another geographical location using a variety of different carriers for such containers, including railroad cars, trucks, and ships. So-called "cargo containers" are basically of parallelepiped configuration and are conventionally provided at their corners with so-called "corner castings" that include locking openings used in securing such containers to the various types of vehicles on which they are loaded.
A primary use of container securement devices has been on, or in connection with, railroad cars, where such containers are typically loaded and unloaded with a crane, and where automatic entry and release are important. The present invention is concerned with this type of securement device, which invention has been devised for use in connection with cargo container corner castings of the type that have been approved by the American Association of Railroads, and that define a locking opening that, when the cargo container involved is to be secured to its carrier for transportation purposes, is horizontally exposed for cooperation with a similarly located securement device mounted on the carrier involved.
Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a securement device providing all the advantages of conventional such devices, to provide a cargo container securement device that permits automatic application and release of a cargo container with respect to same regardless of the type of carrier involved, or whether a pedestal is employed between the container latching device and the deck of the carrier involved, to provide a cargo securement arrangement that is useful both for securing a cargo container directly to any support surface or to the deck of the vehicle involved, to provide a cargo securement device that provides fully automatic entry and release of the container with respect to the carrier deck or platform involved, and to provide a cargo container securement device that overcomes the disadvantages of existing devices of this type.
The general nature of the Applicant's invention will be clarified by the following brief background discussion pertaining to the basic technology involved.
As has been previously indicated, the so-called "corner castings" that have been referred to are metal fittings that are suitably applied in all lower corners of cargo containers, which fittings, as has also been indicated, may be of the type specified in the standards of the Association of American Railroads. Each such corner fitting involved defines a quadrilaterally shaped opening leading to an internal chamber and defining a planar surfacing upon same that cooperates with the container so-called lock or securement device (carried by the transportation vehicle involved) that is to such cargo container at that corner.
Therefore, such conventional securement devices of the carrier involves four in number of same corresponding to the location of the cargo container lower corner fittings and is likely to include a shiftably mounted locking member that is secured to the securement device involved to permit application of the container thereto and provide a "stay put" function with respect to the carrier involved in its motion.
For any such cargo container support, the four container hold down devices involved are arranged in two pair of such devices at each end of the container, spaced apart as needed (lengthwise and transversely of the container) to serve to hold down or otherwise anchor to the carrier involved such cargo container at its four lower corners, and this calls for a pair of container securement devices to be affixed to the carrier involved where the specific ends of the cargo container are to be applied to the carrier involved.
In the illustrated arrangement, each pair of such devices for a particular container are thus located at the respective ends of the container that is to be anchored or otherwise secured to the vehicle involved (whether it be a railroad car or other vehicle). In accordance with the present invention, the container lock or securement devices each comprise a shear block defining a housing having a planar surfacing thereabout on which the container lower corner fittings, respectively rest.
Further in accordance with the present invention, each such container lock or securement device includes a special shiftably mounted latch member that is secured to the shear block involved to permit both application of the container thereto and removal therefrom, and provide as a "hold in place" function when the carrier involved is in motion.
Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from my consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.